MOPLA 2

MOPLA and the Lucie Foundation presented 6 exhibitions at the Pacific Design Center. There were both emerging and established photographers showing their work in a variety of spaces. Tim Mantoani showed his series, Behind Photographs, which depicts 20x24 Polaroids of famous photographers holding their most iconic images. The best part of the night for me was meeting and photographing Nick Ut and Douglas Kirkland, two legendary photographers that I admire. PDN showcased the work of 30 new and emerging photographers. The B+ exhibition was one of my favorites. His series, Ghost Notes, is a documentation of the hip hop movement and urban culture over the last few decades. John Delaney's series, Golden Eagle Hunters of Magnolia, was amazing in it's subject matter and presentation. Beautiful B&W portraits show us a rare glimpse into the intimate world of the Mongolian nomads. Mark Edward Harris exhibited his series, The Axis of Evil, which shows us the world of North Korea and Iran in large scale color photographs. Jim McHugh's, Remarkable: Places and Faces, was a collection of his work from the last thirty years. He is well known for his haunting polaroids of LA and intimate celebrity portraits.

Knitting Factory

Last night I went to the Knitting Factory in Hollywood to see my good friends Gautam Dua aka Gotham Green, Haps and Icon perform. They opened up for Aceyalone and Myka Nine. It was my first time at the Knitting Factory. The venue is really nice...it has two main stages and 2 bars. It's the perfect size, not too big, but certainly not too small. It was nice to see a really good hip hop show again...it's been far too long since I have seen them perform. LA hip hop is really on the move and these guys have some sweet lyrics and beats. I have shot my friends live shows ever since I can remember...always happy to do it. N Brown Clothing sponsored the shoot and some of the apparel in the photos. Check out my flickr pics to see the whole live show.